Gang edger



2 sheets-sheet 1.

F. W. 000K.

(No Model.)

GANG EDGBR.

10,469,643l Patented Feb. 23, 1892.

ma Namus arms co., rnoroyrnu., wmucmn, n. c.

(NoModel.)

Patented Feb. 23, 1892.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

FREDERICK W. COOK, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO FRANK P. H. IJOFTIS, OF SAME PLACE.

GANG-EDGER.

SPECIFICATION forming part 0f Letters Patent NO. 469,543, dated February 23, 1892.

' Application filed May 29, 1891. Serial No. 394,557. (No model.)

To ctZZ whom it may concern.-

Beit known that I, FEEDEEloK W. Cook, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of San Francisco, State of California, have invented an Improvement in Gang-Edgers; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention relates to the class of machines for cutting lumber into strips and usually known as gang-edgers.

My invention consists in the novel shifting mechanism for properly adjusting the saws and in the novel means for adjusting the feedrolls and other details, all of which I shall hereinafter fully describe, and specifically point out in the claims.

The general object of my invention is t provide a gang-edger the shifting mechanism of which is simple, effective, and accurate, and is not liable to bind or cramp in operation.

Particular obj ects and advantages of my several improvements will appear in the course of the following description. y

Referring to the accompanying drawings for a more complete explanation of my invention, Figure l is a plan of my gan g-edger. Fig. 2 is an end view. Fig. 3 is a detail of rackbar and locking-handles. Figi is a detail of the graduations for adjusting the saws.

A represents generally the frame of the machine. B is thesam-arbor mounted therein, and C are the saws mounted upon said arbor and adapted to be shifted forward and back thereon in order to regulate their relative distances apart, according to the work to be turned out. I/Vith the hubs of these saws engage the arms D in the usual manner. These arms, of which there is one for each saw, extend outwardly to one side of the machine and are formed with or preferably have connected with them the sliding shifting-levers E.

Secured to the front of the machine are two parallel horizontal slides or tracks, the inner one being designated byF and the outer one by G. These are separated from each other,

` land the outer one extends at one end beyond afhe inner one, for the purpose hereinafter ex- 'l plained.4 Upon these the shifting-levers E are mounted by means of suitable grooves and are adapted to slide back and forth thereon,having thus two bearingsto support them. The princi-` pal peculiarity to be noted in this construction is the relative position of the bearings of the levers E upon the tracks F and G. Each lever at its outer end is turned at right angles, forming the side projecting portion e, and the bearing on the track G is at the end of this portion, while the bearing on the track F is in the main body of the lever and out of line with the bearing on the track G. Thus each lever E is offset, and the bearings being out of line materially stiften and steadythe mounting of the levers, whereby they slide accurately and have no tendency Whatever to tilt or rock. By reason of this bent or offset portion e the outer slide or track G must be extended at one end beyond the inner one.

In order to provide for the close approach of the saws, the offsets e of the levers are out of line with each other, whereby they are enabled to overlap and slide by each other without interference. This all takes place in the space between the two slides or tracks F and G. To further guide and steady the levers E, I have arms J bolted to them, extending forwardly and fitted ingrooves g on the inner surface of the track or slide G. Now in order to effect the sliding of the levers E readily and without any tendency whatever to cramp, I attach the operating-handles II to said levers at a point, represented by h, which lies in a vertical plane between the bearings of the levers on the slides F and G. This iattachment is made to an upwardly-extending arm e of the levers, and the position of the handles is such that the force applied to slide the levers is equally exerted upon both the bearings, thus effecting the object intended of sliding easily and without any tendency whatever to cramp, as would be the case if the attachment of the handles wasas usual, at a point outside of the slides or tracks. These handles Il are controlled by springs 72,', and have formed on their inner ends the locking-teeth h2, which engage the teeth t of the rack-bar I. These teeth are spaced by distances equal to the thickness of the saws. For example, if the saw be one-third of an inch in thickness the teeth i will be made three to the inch.

In order to provide for taking up the wear IOO ' of the levers `E on the slides to make the joint continue a perfect and steady one, I secure to the levers the movable shoes e2, which are adapted to enter suitable grooves or offsets in both the slides r tracks F and G. These shoes are secured, adj ustably, to the levers by means of elongated slots e3- and bolts e4. Now

rately effected. These graduations consist ofV lines and read from l up on each oiset.

Upon the shifting-levers E, I have indicators K, one for each lever. These lie vopposite or over the'markings or lines on the adjacent lever. In setting the saws the operator can easily read thelines oneach offset and set it tothe same figure on each, thus avoiding having tocount, as would be necessary if the numbers ran on continuously', as on'a straight bar. This is the advantage o f making the lines on the offsets read the same on each. The kerf is readily provided for by the rack-bar I and the toothed handles I-l engaging it. The graduations on the offsets and theindicators are' properly set to provide for such an engagement of the handle and rack-bar as will allow for the kerf, and for this purpose the graduations on the offsets may for convenience be made upon removable plates adapted to be secured in proper place;

The spacing of the teeth o f the rack-bar I, as described, provides for the accurate lock'- ing of the shifting-levers at the points desired.

"L are the lower feed-rolls and 'M are the upper feed-rolls of the machine. Between them the lumber is passed. There is always one end' or the other, according to the handiest way to suit the particularoperator, into which he prefers to feed the lumber. This constant wear upon one end causes the two rolls to get out of parallel at that end. Now to provide for adjusting the rolls and bringing them back to a parallel, notwithstanding the wear at either end, I make one of said rolls vertically adjustable. The following construction is simple and effective in thisrespect: The upper feed-rolls M are 'carried by a swinging frame m, theend arms of which are mounted upon a vertically-adjustable shaft N, having its ends mounted in vertical slots O in the frame ends, and supportedand regulated by set-screws P above and below. By operatin g these screws either one or both ends of the sha-ft N may lbe raised or lowered to bring' back the upper feed-roll M to a parallel plane with the lower feed-roll L.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

y'1. In a gang-edger, the shifting-levers connecting with the saws and having their outer ends bent at right angles out of line with each other, whereby said ends slide past each other, substantially as herein described.

2. In a gang-edger, the combination of a slide composed of two separated and parallel tracks and shifting-levers mounted at two distinct points upon said tracks, said levers having their inner ends connected with the saws and their outer ends bent at right angles, each one out of line with the others, whereby said bent ends slide by each other, substantially as herein described.

3. In a gan g-edger, shifting-levers connected with the saws of the machine, said levers having their outer ends bent sidewise, an inner fixed slide or track upon which the levers are mounted and slide, and an outer xed slide or track separated from the inner one and upon which the extremities of the bent ends of the levers are mounted and adapted to slide, substantially as herein described.

4. 'In a gang-edger, the series of shiftingleversconnected with the saws of a machine, each lever having its outer end bent sidewise and out of line with each other, whereby said ends are adapted to overlap, a fixed inner slide or track upon which levers are ymounted and slide, and a fixed outer slide ortrack upon which the extremities of thebent endsofthe levers are mounted and adapted to 'slidc,"substanti'ally as herein described.

5. In a gang-edger, the shifting-levers E, having bent outer ends, the inner and outer fixed slides or tracks F- and G, upon which said levers and their bent outer 'ends'V are mounted and adapted to slide, and vhandles Il, connected with the levers at points in planes between the two slides or tracks, "substantially as herein described.

6. In a gang-edger,l the separated and parallel tracks, the shifting-levers havinga sliding hearing upon each track, shoes adjustably secured tothe levers andengaging grooves in the tracks, and steadying-arins J, secured to the levers and having their outerends slidable in grooves in the inner Wall of the outer track, substantially as herein described.

7. In a gang-edger, the combination of the inner and outer tracks separated from each other, the shifting-levers mounted upon each track, having their inner 'ends connected with the saws and'their outer ends bent at right angles, each one out of line with theoth'ers, whereby they overlap,graduations on the bent portions, and indicators on said levers operating over the graduated face of the lever next'to it, substantially as herein described.

S. .In a gang-edger, the c ombination'of'the separated tracks, the shifting-lever mounted to slide upon each track, having theirvouter ends bent at right angles, each one out of line with the .others, whereby they may pass each other in sliding, said bent portions having their upper surfacesl graduated on lines bearing the same consecutive numbers, and indicators on the levers extendingv over the graduated faces of the bent portions next to them, substantially as herein described. y

IOO

ITO

E). In a gang-edger, the combination of the separated tracks, the levers mounted to slide upon each of said tracks, handles pivotally secured to said levers at points between the tracks and having their inner ends provided with locking-teeth, and a rack-bar having teeth spaced to distances equal to the thick ness of the saw and adapted to receive the locking-teetli, substantially as herein described.

10. In a gang-edger, the combination of the upper and lower feed-rolls, the suspendingframe of the upper feed-rolls, the shaft from which said frame is suspended, the vertical slots in which the ends of the shaft are mounted, and the set-screws for adjusting said shaft ends, substantially as herein described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

FREDERICK W. COOK. lVitnesses:

S. H. NoURsE, J. A. BAYLEss. 

